Cowboys 'can win minus Thurston, Bowen'

North Queensland will be out to prove they are more than a two-man team when they confront Cronulla without electric fullback Matt Bowen and Test halfback Johnathan Thurston in Saturday night's NRL clash.

Bowen has been ruled out for up to three weeks and the Cowboys will almost certainly be without Thurston at Dairy Farmers Stadium, despite him passing a fitness test on a partial ligament tear in his left ankle.

The champion halfback rolled the ankle at Kangaroos training and had been in serious doubt for the Centenary Test against New Zealand.

Cowboys coach Graham Murray conceded Thurston was highly unlikely to be right for club duties.

"I am not sure if he will back up, I think he would have to be pretty lucky to get through two on a weekend," Murray told reporters.

While the Cowboys coaching staff have been busy preparing contingency plans for the loss of Thurston or Kangaroos forward Carl Webb, they have been boosted by the return of former Test lock Luke O'Donnell after hip surgery.

It is expected Manly recruit Travis Burns will take over at halfback with Justin Smith dropping out of the pack to five-eighth and O'Donnell coming into the side.

"We have thought about combinations all week but the players are aware what we are going to do," Murray said.

"That was our job earlier in the week.

"We have been talking to the players about possible combinations and we are comfortable with our decisions."

O'Donnell's return couldn't have come at a better time for the Cowboys as the club endures yet another horror run of injuries and suspensions.